Shakur Stevenson stayed unbeaten and retained his WBC lightweight title with a masterclass of calculated precision, outpointing Mexico’s William Zepeda in a high-stakes showdown on Saturday night.
Fighting under the lights at the iconic Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York, Stevenson showcased his signature defensive brilliance and sharp counterpunching to outbox the aggressive Zepeda. The judges were unanimous: 118-110, 118-110, and 119-109—all in favor of Stevenson.
The Newark-born champion improved to 24-0 (11 KOs), handing the previously undefeated Zepeda (33-1, 27 KOs) his first career loss.
“People talk about me being boring, but I just beat one of the most dangerous punchers in the division,” Stevenson said post-fight. “Winning smart is still winning.”
This marks Stevenson’s second successful title defense since claiming the vacant belt against Edwin De Los Santos in late 2023.
Sheeraz Crushes Berlanga in Statement Win
In the co-main event, Britain’s Hamzah Sheeraz made a big splash at super middleweight by demolishing Puerto Rico’s Edgar Berlanga in five rounds.
After dropping Berlanga twice in the fourth, Sheeraz closed the show early in the fifth with a crisp combination that sent Berlanga to a knee—prompting referee David Fields to wave it off.
Sheeraz remains undefeated at 22-0-1 (18 KOs), while Berlanga slips to 23-2, having now lost two of his last three bouts.
Matias Wins War, Takes WBC Super Lightweight Title
Puerto Rico’s Subriel Matias added another belt to his collection, edging out Dominican southpaw Alberto Puello via majority decision to claim the WBC super lightweight championship.
Matias controlled the early rounds with punishing pressure and bodywork, but Puello rallied late to make it close. Judges scored it 115-113 (twice) for Matias, with one card even at 114-114.
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